No pictures this time, (my computer is having difficulty uploading for some reason... the internet here is DEFINITELY not like the free high speed at home!), but I wanted to tell you a little bit about living here in Auckland and my classes at Uni.
First a little about New Zealand! You can definitely see influences from around the world here in New Zealand, including in speech. Some common things to hear...
"Kia Ora" is the popular way of saying hello, especially among Maori. It also means "thank you."
"Did you see that awesome catch?"
"Wicked!!"
(Using "wicked" is very popular here!)
"Don't forget to make a sammie for lunch!"
Sammie = Sandwich. Also awesome? Hammie Sammie.
"Where do you go to school?"
"Ohh, the Uni down in Auckland."
Uni= University. Even our school emails? aucklanduni.ac.nz.
"Hey mate!"
Not just Australia where the use of "mate" is quite popular.
And of course,
"Cheers!"
I know there's more. I'll think of them. New Zealand is quite diverse, especially in Auckland. Notable populations of Australians, Maori, immigrants, Chinese and of course, backpackers and tourists!
Some other cool things about New Zealand...
- Their national rugby team is called the "All Blacks." Rugby is a very big deal here.
- I'm reasonably certain the basketball team here is nicknamed the "Tall Whites."
- New Zealanders are called "Kiwis." Not because of the fruit, though it is exported from here in absolutely massive quantities, but because of the Kiwi bird. Unfortunately they are almost extinct. We had an opportunity to see some in captivity at Te Puia, a geothermal activity site with many geysers and hot springs.
- Marmite is the NZ version of vegemite. It is a yeast-extract. It's kind of this oily spread you but on toast or sandwiches, most people recommend butter and marmite. The only time you should try marmite is when I bring a little bit back to the US, it is absolutely disgusting. I've heard its one of those things you have to grow up with (like PB in the US, the PB is weird here) but its absolutely horrific. It kind of tastes like really nasty, dried up anchovies (or what I imagine they'd taste like, I hate anchovies). It's kind of salty and sticky. Ew. But it is really big here.
- Most of the Kiwis I've talked to have never had Pumpkin Pie.
- Kiwis aren't at all into PB&J. Most of them who I've talked to haven't really even heard of it.
- New Zealand actually has no indigenous mammals. When NZ broke off the supercontinent Gondwana (see below) it either did not have any or they have since died and haven't been found in the fossil record. What NZ did have instead were GIANT birds, Moa over 10 feet tall, Eagles with a 9+ foot wingspan, and large insects that served as scavengers. Today NZ does have mammals, including the Wallaby from Australia (they are super cute!)
That's it for random facts, I'll definitely think of more in the near future.
As for my classes, I'm one week in and they are off to a great start!
The educational system here is very different from the US but very similar to many other countries. The style of learning is meant to be very independent, lectures don't meet all that frequently and there isn't much that goes into calculating a final grade, only a midterm assignment and a final exam. For all of my classes there are no homework assignments, except one or two projects that are due throughout the semester. I am really enjoying my classes so far; I am taking Art History, Environmental Effects and Management and NZ: Half A Billion Years on the Edge.
Art History is great so far; it's just an introductory course covering art from the ancient world, Egypt and Greece through the Renaissance. It's very broad, especially aimed at teaching us how to think about art, both from our perspective and from that of the artist. Many of the assignments we are given focus on art in the Auckland community, looking at the structure of the older Civic theater and comparing it to the new IMAX. Why are they different? I'm really enjoying the class so far and have made a few friends! It's an introductory course so mostly freshman, and so large! Probably 200 students, very different from Pomona!
Environmental Management is likewise quite interesting. It's main premise is that we know what's going on in the environment, how we are negatively affecting it. But we also know that the environmental scientists are not the ones controlling the money. I'm excited to see where the course goes. We are going to be looking at stream quality in the Auckland area as well. Hopefully this will fit into some independent research I will hopefully be starting soon!
Finally I'm enrolled in a Geology course focusing on the formation of New Zealand. Such a dynamic place! I'm sure you have all heard about the earthquake in Christchurch by now; unfortunately this is not an unheard of event in NZ. NZ's geology lends itself to natural disaster-it is sitting smack on the boundary between the Indo-Australian and Pacific plates, creating numerous large fault lines and active volcanoes. The course has begun with talking about the supercontinent Gondwana, that NZ was a part of and subsequently broke off from.
I'm looking forward to continuing my studies and exploring New Zealand!
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